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Show A2 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2007 - N E W S - Spanish Fork 280 North Main St. Spanish Fork, UT 84660 Lane Henderson Publisher Namon Bills Editor Dana Robinson . . Assoc. Editor The Spanish Fork News is published each Wednesday for $37.50 per year in area and $41.50 out of area by J-Mart, 280 North Main St., Spanish Fork Utah 84660. Email stories to editor@spforkncws.com Email ads to ads@spforknews.com Call us at 794-4964 POSTMASTER Send address changes to Spanish Fork News 280 North Main St. Spanish Fork, Utah 84660 The entire content of this newspaper is Copyright© 2007 Spanish Fork News. All rights reserved. No pan of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the editor or publisher. DEADLINES Weddings, anniversaries, missionaries, 1st birthdays, articles, photos, letters to the editor Friday, 12 p.m. Display advertising and classified advertising Friday, 12 p.m. ommunity ews Political Correctness Warm up with hot chocolate Guest Editorial Rep. Mike Morley As I have driven back and forth to Salt Lake over the past couple of months, I've noticed a billboard with the line "your country is dying from political correctness." I must admit, with the image of a burning flag and boldlettereprodairning"FIGHT PC," I at first dismissed it as being a little too in-your-face. But, as I've seen the message again and again, I've begun to wonder if it doesn't contain a grain of truth. The textbook definition of political correctness is "language, ideas, policies, or behavior seen as seeking to minimize offense to racial, cultural, or other identity groups." Strictly speaking, that's not such a bad thing - to make a conscious effort not to offend others, particularly in ways they are most sensitive. Unfortunately, political correctness in our society has come to mean limiting some rights and freedoms of the whole in favor of the few. The Ten Commandments have been removedfrommany public buildings and spaces and this issue now appears to be headed to the Supreme Court. It doesn't matter that the principles they teach have given strength and morality to our nation and many other nations over the past several thousand years and are the basis for many of our laws. It is no longer politically correct for me to wish someone "Merry Christmas." Rather, I should say "Happy Holidays" to be inclusive to those who celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. Prayer is now an activity to be shunned in public, as is any recognition of the role God has played in the founding and continued success of our country. Last month, I visited the home of a business colleague. I felt honored to be asked to participate with him and his family as they celebrated a Hindu holiday. I enjoy being wished a Happy Hanukkah by a Jewish friend and believe my reply of "Merry Christmas" is well received. Celebrating Columbus Day doesn't mean I am oblivious to the oppression of the ancestors of my Native American sister. It simply means that I recognize the greatness of a man who, with single-minded determination, Ready or Not Dawn Van Nosdol Rep. Mike Morley faced disappointment, ridicule, and unimaginable hardships to follow what he believed (and what I also believe) was the will of God and succeed in discovering a new land. Certainly, we can all be a little more sensitive to the beliefs, views, and cultural identity of our friends and neighbors. We can show respect to others without sacrificing or minimizing our own values and customs, without letting go of the traditions, the practices and beliefs that have built this great country, this "nation under God." So, I joyfully wish you a Merry Christmas! Remembering Hyrum Ottesen There and Back Again Shirlene R. Ottesen This is a difficult column to write. When I wrote last week's column, I had no idea that my husband's obituary would appear in the same issue. I knew that his time in this mortal existence was getting short, but, of course, I didn't know or expect it to come this soon. What a wonderful place to live! We had so many friends, business associates, relatives, neighbors and ward members visit with us at the mortuary on Monday evening and again Tuesday morning before the services. I want each and every one of you to know that we appreciated the love and sympathy that you expressed to us and the compliments paid to Hy. This is a busy time of the year and those of you who could not come because of other commitments have called or sent cards and they are appreciated as well. We have also received calls from some living out of state. There waiting for our arrival was the Honor Guard of the American Legion who gave their special tribute to him for his service to our country. My own personal tribute to him is that he was a good man, a very unselfish man who worked hard to provide for his family. The schedule of a dairy farmer is unrelenting. It doesn't matter if it's your birthday, the 4th of July, if you're sick or Santa Claus is coming, the cows have to be milked. And then there is the night work. The hay has to baled just right, not too dry, not too wet. Irrigation turns come at any and all times. You don't say, "Oh, I don't want to water tonight. I'm too tired." If you don't water the fields, there won't be much of a crop. Like many others, we live the law of the harvest. He lived a full and busy life, but he also missed a lot. All of the school and church activities usually start at 7 in the evening. We don't get through milking until 9 p.m. so he missed Spring Festivals and concerts. We finish the morning milking about 10 a.m. and so he missed many times when our children were giving talks in church. It doesn't matter what time church starts, if a heifer is calving and needs some help, you don't tell her, "Cross your legs until I get back. I'll hurry". He had a good sense of humor and tried to make work fun, and he did. He also wanted things done "his" way, which he deemed was the "right" way. Now it sounds like I'm complaining. I'm not. It's just the way it is. I'm just explaining what it's like to live on a farm. I am a farmer's daughter and a farmer's wife. I can't imagine doing anything else. It has it ups and plenty of downs, but it's a great life! Hy took very seriously his stewardship of the land and I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to work alongside him. He was very considerate about asking my opinion about something and to seek approval for an idea that he had or something he wanted to do. We were a team. I want to thank all those who helped in any way during this time. When our good friend Paul Bliss from Salem came to our home on Saturday, he said, "Now is there anything I can do to help?" I asked him if he would help with the arrangements for Hy's last ride in our wagon and without hesitation he said he would. Because our team hadn't been used for two years and needed a little re-introduction to pulling a wagon, he spent the better part of three days making sure that everything would work. Our grandson, Bryan, and son-in-law, Darin, also helped get things ready. All of our family needed to be at the church, so it was Paul that had to make the last-minute preparations and be ready at the church when the services concluded. This is the last column before Christmas, so I wish all of you a happy holiday. It will be bittersweet for many, but because of what we have and what we know, it will be okay. It won't make it any easier, but it will be okay. Parting thought for the week: "And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Several members of our family participated in the ser• vice and it was interesting to listen to our children and learn about the special memories they have of their father. At the conclusion of the service, we had made special arrangements to put the casket in our covered wagon and take him on his last ride through Palmyra. Except for his military service, he has spent all of his life here in this very special community. Great and great-great-grandparents on both sides of the family came here as early pioneers in the 1850s, so our roots run deep. Our mules, Hank and Eli, pulled the wagon with our son, Paul, as the driver. Our four daughters and I were the only passengers and it was a nice time to be alone for that 15 or so minutes on our ride to the corner where the Palmyra Monument stands. The casket was then transferred to Courtesy photo the hearse and we continued on our way to the cemetary. LAST RIDE: The Ottesen mules pull Hyrum with his wife, Shirlene, and their daughters around Palmyra in their covered wagon one last time. \ Covering what matters most I am so cold and tired tonight. All I want to do is curl up and drink some hot cocoa and eat some cinnamon toast, maybe even take a nap before going to bed tonight. But before I do, let me share with you my hot chocolate recipe again — it is worth repeating. All of these ingredients should be in your food storage. Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix 2 cups nonfat dry milk powder 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup Cocoa 1/2 cup powdered non-dairy creamer Dash of salt In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Blend well. Store in a tightly covered container. 3 3/4 cups of mix will make approximately 15 cups of delicious hot cocoa. To serve, use 1/4 cup cocoa mix and add up to 3/4 cup hot water. Serve. Now for the cinnamon toast. When I was a little girl, my mom made the absolute best cinnamon toast ever. She would slather butter, or margarine (but butter tastes better), on a slice of white bread. She would take a large dinner spoon and liberally sprinkle sugar right out to the very edges of the bread. She would then shake generous amounts of cinnamon, topping it completely — then the magic started. While she was assembling the toast, about 10 or 12 pieces on a cookie sheet, she would have the broiler in the stove heating up. I loved standing in front of it because it was so warm, and when my mom would put the toast in the broiler the smell was heavenly. I loved watching the sugar and cinnamon start to melt into the butter and settle into the bread. You could tell when the bread was done in two ways, either my patience would run out, or the butter and the sugar would bubble on the bread and start to caramelize just a little bit. My mom always waited for the second reason to gauge the doneness of the toast. It was agonizing, but worth the wait. Of course, it then had to cool down, but oh how wonderful it was when it was just right, and I could sit there eating my toast and sipping my creamy hot chocolate. I'm much lazier these days and my standards have dropped when it comes to fixing cinnamon toast, but it is still tasty. Now I stick some bread in the toaster, butter it and shake cinnamon and sugar on it and call it good. I think that I'll go find an overstuffed chair and eat my toast and drink my cocoa. I need to invite my mom over to make me some real cinnamon toast. Benjamin 1st Ward holds Christmas party Chris Argyle. Irene Fitzgerald narrated Benjamin the program accompanied Kathleen Olsen by Marie Caras. Carol Nielson took the part of the It's good to have Elder grandmother reading to the Omar Lopez with us again Junior Primary who also after successfully serving an sang under the direction LDS mission in Los Angeles, of Hillary Roberts and Calif., for the past two years. were accompanied by Julie He spoke in Benjamin 1st Hales. Ward's sacrament meeting Carolers were the Young on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007. Men and Young Women Omar is the son of Riley and directed by Jean Lundquist Eva Prestwich. and accompanied by ••• Ramona Woolsy. The Benjamin 1st Ward held carolers were followed by its annual Christmas party the Senior Primary rendering on Wednesday, Dec. 12, with two numbers directed by the theme, "I Saw Christmas, Judy Reimschiissel and I Heard Christmas, I Felt accompanied by Julie Christmas." The evening Hales. began with Christmas prelude The nativity scene featured music provided by piano Daniel and Elise Roberts with students of Clarise Nilson their baby, Violet, as Joseph, including Kaylee Beckstrom, Mary, and the baby, Jesus. Nicole Beckstrom, Lyndsie Songs in this scene included Beckstrom, Katelyn a double mixed quartet with Urmston, Cooper Urmston, Kristi Terry, Nannette Wride, Wyatt Urmston, Harold Guy, Rowene Hawkins, Laurel Colby Baum, Colton Baum, Harrison, Cloyd Harrison, and Marquise Young. Sheldon Hansen, David The invocation and Huff, and Blaine Willes blessing on the food was directed and accompanied given by Clay Foy. Supper, by Coleen Huff, and a double under the direction of Carl trio consisting of Eileen and Shirley Shepherd, Oxborrow, Shirley Shepher, was served by the Young Diane Miller, LuAnn Wride, Men and Young Women Lucille Argyle, and Jean supervised by their Lundquist directed by Eileen respective presidents, Oxborrow and accompanied Denny Worthington and by Nadene Roberts. Elise Michelle Anderson. Others Roberts was the soloist in the on the food committee group. The congregation sang included Boyd and Janet the closing carol directed Reynolds, Vernon and Doris by Coleen Huff with Marie Marshall, Steve and Nancy Caras as accompaniest, and Stone, David and Rhonda Simons, and Keith and See BENJAMIN* A3 'Round and About |